Season 2 of Reacher followed the journey of the hero and freedom-loving former soldier. And the main actor refuses to qualify it as a “series for darons” .
Jack Reacher continues to attract audiences: the character in Lee Child’s books is described as a tall, imposing and muscular guy, traveling the United States since leaving the army. First introduced to the big screen by none other than Tom Cruise, his path then crossed that of actor Alan Ritchson.
The actor in fact took over the famous character from the book for Prime Video and was seen as the perfect incarnation of the written version. However, the sentence quickly fell: this Jack Reacher would be the ideal for fathers following his adventures from their sofa. So Reacher would be a “series for darons”?
The actor quickly stepped up to deny: Jack Reacher is not just for dads!
The Reacher series is for every member of the family
You’re not dreaming, the debate is really happening: Alan Ritchson disagrees with claims that Reacher only appeals to fathers and is labeled as a “series for dads” . His first argument: the reflection seems inappropriate for other members of the family.
It all starts in fact from an interview given to GQ, during which the actor is questioned about the fact that Reacher is cataloged in this improbable category. And his response is not long in coming: “It’s so strange. I keep seeing that.”
“It’s funny: I showed the series to my children. I let them watch the first season – but I didn’t let them see the naked man hanging crucified on the wall [whose severed genitals had been forced into his mouth], but everything else was… In context, it all made sense. They loved it, man. For me, it’s not a “series for dads”, it’s a “family series.”»”
“I’m walking down the street and little ladies with their walkers are there [he adopts the voice of a decrepit old woman] “Reacher… Reacher…”It’s such a contradiction for me to call it a “show for dads”. But I’m a father and I also love the series. Maybe it works.”
Whether Reacher is appropriate for children or not is up to the parents, but according to the star herself, the series is suitable for all ages. A few broken noses and bad guys needing correction aren’t a big deal in his eyes. The idea of reserving the story for “dad” (the same one that we hear in the expression “dad jokes” , a concept taken up on YouTube and coming from English-speaking countries) clearly does not suit him.
Alan Ritchson on Why Women Really Love Jack Reacher
The actor goes further in his demonstration, focusing on the interest that the female audience has in the series. According to him, no, it cannot only be a question of attraction or fantasy. As with any film or series, it’s the adventure and what the character stands for that matters, regardless of their gender or inclination.
“It’s confusing. The readership of the books is an unexpected demographic: as many women read these books as men. There was a curious article repeating the thought “men want to be like him and women want to sleep with him”, but there is an independence and freedom in Jack Reacher that women clearly seek too. We tend to think that freedom is a male mentality, but many women share the same desires. I guess part of the success is that there was wish fulfillment for a lot more people than was initially expected,” the actor said.
The hero is a lone wolf by nature. Drawing on his military education and career in the army, he has no real ties holding him back. He goes where his steps take him. His most valuable possession is his toothbrush, he only buys the bare necessities, does not carry a suitcase and does not worry about his savings. This freedom sometimes has its setbacks, but he accepts them, even if it means not becoming attached to someone. Which doesn’t mean he ignores his friends in need, like in season 2 of Reacher.
Its inherent freedom is attractive, and it has no gender or age: this is probably what has made the series strong since its first two seasons, and which will still attract audiences for season 3 of Reacher.
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